Both singular and plural 'they' conjugates the verb in the same way 'to say, they say, they say'. You don't need to say 'they says' if you're just referring to one person.
I will keep saying 'they say' etc for people who use they/them pronouns, whether or not it's grammatically correct. Respecting a person's personal pronouns is more important to me than grammar
Non-binary folks have been around as long as people have...
Both singular and plural 'they' conjugates the verb in the same way 'to say, they say, they say'. You don't need to say 'they says' if you're just referring to one person.
I will keep saying 'they say' etc for people who use they/them pronouns, whether or not it's grammatically correct. Respecting a person's personal pronouns is more important to me than grammar
Non-binary folks have been around as long as people have...
Both singular and plural 'they' conjugates the verb in the same way 'to say, they say, they say'. You don't need to say 'they says' if you're just referring to one person.
I will keep saying 'they say' etc for people who use they/them pronouns, whether or not it's grammatically correct. Respecting a person's personal pronouns is more important to me than grammar
Non-binary folks have been around as long as people have...
I don’t think anyone saying they haven’t, and I’ve certainly not seen anything disrespectful … I think this thread is more a slightly tongue in cheek exploration of the wondrous flexibility of the English language and the delights of pedantry … at least that’s how I see it.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Was talking to a friend of mine whose two grown up children say that independently in their places of work (one a university, one a climate charity) they both refer to individuals as they rather that he or she whether or not they know their gender/preferences. Maybe it will become the norm before too long?
I used to be an English teacher. I spent years trying to explain that it is incorrect to put a singular with a plural and vice versa. It breaks my heart......
What do they use for a gender-neutral or non-gender-specific personal pronoun in languages where the plural pronouns are gender-specific as well as the singular ones?
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Anyone with a same sex partner who has ever had to navigate this 'hetero-normative' world will be adept at using singular they/them pronouns. I did this before I had even heard of non-binary folks.
If I'm unsure of how someone would like their gender referred to, it is easy and perfectly natural to do the same.
It's 'they like gardening'.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
@JennyJ it's difficult - in some languages, there is a push to develop gender neutral plurals, but there is constant tension between the people who need these words and the people who don't want their language to change. Same as for when plurals are male by default - e.g. las for plurals women in spanish, los for one man and a hundred women.
I remember being taught il/elle/ils/elles in French which works the same way - if "they" are an all male or mixed group it's "ils". I don't remember being taught anything about gender-neutral pronouns for people in English or other languages.
"They" as a singular pronoun in English feels awkward to me but I'm sure I'll get used to it.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Posts
I will keep saying 'they say' etc for people who use they/them pronouns, whether or not it's grammatically correct. Respecting a person's personal pronouns is more important to me than grammar
Non-binary folks have been around as long as people have...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If I'm unsure of how someone would like their gender referred to, it is easy and perfectly natural to do the same.
It's 'they like gardening'.